The QLine streetcars will formally roll up and down Woodward beginning May 12, officials announced Thursday.

After more than a decade of discussions and delays, construction on the tracks began in July 2014 and QLine made its first test on the tracks in December. On May 12, there will be a news conference and then an inaugural ride down Woodward from the Penske Technical Center in the New Center area. Rides for the public will begin that evening.

“QLine’s grand opening will be a historic day in Detroit,” said Matt Cullen, CEO of the M-1 Rail company, which operates the streetcar system. “We’re bringing rail transit back to the heart of the city and connecting the Woodward Corridor in a way that’s already begun to transform the entire district.”